Special solutions

News Details

Press release FAKUMA

Erbach/Germany, August 2017 – At Fakuma 2017, i-mold presents new products for moldmakers that help to save both design space and time. Included in the company's exhibits are smaller tunnel gate inserts for low shot weights, hot runner nozzles for closer cavity spacings, easy-to-install "Fast Half" hot runner systems, and low-height linear drives for linear slider and core-pulling operations. Furthermore, at its booth A2-2304, i-mold will be providing information about new controllers that combine ease of operation with high flexibility.

Use of curved runners for small shot weights

In the field of tunnel gate inserts, i-mold has developed a particularly compact version of its TG type units. These had already been noted for their highly space-saving design thanks to the narrowly curved runner. However, there was still scope for optimizing the sprue to molding volume ratio with a view to the production of small moldings using shot weights from 0.5 to 5 g. It is precisely in such applications that the new inserts, designated with the code "-1", now provide substantial benefits. The existing versions for larger shot weights up to approx. 50 g will be marked with the number "2" as of now. All TG types are suitable, e.g., for large contour steps and moldings with a circumferential edge or interior contours located above the parting plane. Moreover, the TGLL types support gating below the parting line while TGHL units are intended for gating from the inside or above the parting surface.

Closer cavity pitch and shorter delivery times for hot runner systems

New floating or screw-in type nozzles manufactured by Heatlock and distributed by i-mold for A2 and A3 series hot runner systems now permit particularly narrow cavity pitch dimensions of as little as 16 mm. The nozzle tips are available in different materials and gate geometries, which can be combined with different caps and gate bushings for maximum versatility. Thanks to the very uniform temperature distribution over their total length, these nozzles are suitable for processing all engineering thermoplastics.

Under the name Fast Half, i-mold now offers fully pre-wired, tested and assembled hot runner systems that are available within very short delivery times of just around two weeks while also being particularly easy to install and de-install. The system is adapted to the mold dimensions at the user's site, thus allowing the customer to benefit from high flexibility in addition to the rapid turnaround time. Ceramically insulated contact surfaces between the hot runner and the mold minimize heat loss. As a result, the Fast Half system is also ideal for processing plastics in high melt temperature but low mold temperature situations.

Space-saving linear actuators

In its Servomold product segment, i-mold now supplies moldmakers with servo-electric linear drives for slider and core-pulling functionalities that are specially designed for greatly reduced height when compared to conventional actuators relying on hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders. These new, highly integrated systems comprise particularly flat motors and use planetary roller instead of ball type screw spindles since the former can be made much more compact thanks to their substantially higher load capability. Moreover, part of the movement has been designed to take place inside the mold. As a result, these actuators project only about half as far from the mold as conventional types.